Weather & Altitude Conditions for Growing Arabica Coffee

Weather & Altitude Conditions for Growing Arabica Coffee

Uncommon Grounds, by Mark Pendergrast

Arabica is best grown between 3,000 ft (914.4 m) and 6,000 ft (1,828 m); and between 70 F (21 C) and 80 F (26 C), "never straying below freezing, never going much above 80 F."

Coffee trees need plenty of rain (70 inches a year).

The higher, the better.

"Most coffee trees are self-pollinating, allowing the monoculture to thrive without other nearby plants to attract honeybees."

"The moment of flowering, followed by the first growth of the tiny berry, is crucial for coffee growers. A heavy wind or hail can destroy an entire crop."

"Trees will produce well for 15 years or so, though some have been known to bear productively for as long as 20 or even 30 years."

After that, trees are stumped almost to the ground, "then pruned so that only the strongest shoots survive."

On average, one tree produces 5 pounds (2 kg) of fruit, which will translate to 1 pound (less than 1/2 a kilo) of dried beans.